Ladder



Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES A'rsNT OFFICE Claims.

In some types of ladders, particularly those known as orchard-"laddersy the unusual length of the side stiles necessitates flaring them outwardly at the bottom so that they may provide the 5 desired support when the ladder is elevated into a working position. This flaring of the bottom end portions of the stiles requires the provision of steps or treads of exceptional length, with the result that these lower treads will, if supported only at the ends, give and bend under the weight of the average worker. It is common practice to support these treads at spaced points between their anchorages to the ladder Stiles by means of bars disposed lengthwise of the ladder and contacting the rear edges of all of the lower and longer treads, and to which they are nailed. By this means it is sought to hold the long treads rigidly with respect to the stiles and so materially lengthen the useful life of the ladder.

But experience has shown that the reinforcing bars above described do not satisfactorily accomplish the purpose for which they are intended, due to the manner in which they are attached to the treads.

Being merely nailed to the rear edges of the treads the reinforcing bars are easily kicked off by the one using the ladder. Since the point of attachment is at the rear edge of the tread and the weight of the user of the ladder is applied at the forward edge of the tread it follows that a springing movement of the tread is developed along its forward edge portion and a twisting movement is applied to the rear fastening means, resulting in more or less rapid disintegration.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide means for so connecting the tread and reinforcing bar that no weaving or racking of the tread can take place.

It is another object to provide means whereby the tie rod connecting the two ladder stiles and passing beneath the tread may be used to greater advantage as a support for the central portion of the tread.

Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a ladder structure in which the long lower treads are properly supported whereby the useful life of the ladder may be greatly prolonged, and one in which the desired results are obtained in a simple, economical and highly efficient manner.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a ladder embodying my invention, partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective illustration of the tread and rail anchor disclosed in Figure l.

Referring now more particularly to the draw- 5 ing, I show at I-I the two side rails of the ladder and at 2 the ladder steps.

The steps 2 may be secured to the rails in any suitable manner. In this disclosure I provide a metal plate 3 adapted to lie flat against the inner l0 side of the stile and to which it is fastened by nails at Il, the front and rear ends of the plate being bent to snugly engage the front and rear edges of the stile as shown at 5 and 6. The plate is cut a distance inwardly from its front and rear 15 edges and a little Way below its upper edge as at I and il, and the upper portion bent at right angles to the main portion to form a flange 9 with upstanding terminal ears I@ adapted to receive and support one end of a tread or step 2. 20 Each end of the tread being seated in a support of the character described a tie rod II is passed through both stiles I-I and supporting plates 3 immediately below the tread 2. The rod II is threaded and tted with a washer I2 and nut I3 25 on its ends whereby it may be drawn taut.

At I4 I show a steel rod having the following characteristics. One end, which I shall call the front end, is bent into the form of a hook I5 While the rear end is threaded as at I6 to receive 30 a nut Il. The rod is also slightly bent as at I8 at a point intermediate its ends.

In mounting the rod I4 th-e hook end I5 is inserted in a hole I9 formed in the front edge of the tread, the body of the rod passing under the tread 35 and the tie rod I I, and its threaded end passing through a hole 25 formed in reinforcing bar 2I and fitted with the washer and nut as described.

Due to th-e angular position of the reinforcing Y bar 2l relative to the tread 2 the threaded end 40 I6 also assumes an angular position relative to the rest of the rod i4, but the various `sections of the rod I4 all lie in the same vertical plane when the device is in its final position on a ladder.

The several sections of the rod I4 are so dis- 45 posed that the hook end I5 lies in parallel relation to the upper and lower surfaces of the tread 2, while the forward portion of the rod is disposed at an acute angle thereto to carry it under the rod II. The bend I8 occurs rearwardli7 50 ofthe rod II as clearly shown in Figure 1, and the rear portion of the rod passes upwardly and adjacent the rear lower edge 22 of tread 2, thereby bringing the threaded end I@ substantially on aline with the bottom surface of the tread 2. 55

When the rod I4 is disposed as described and drawn tightly into place its front angular portion is drawn upwardly against the tie rod II so tightly that the said rod I4 is brought into contact with the bottom of the tread and therefore provides additional support for the same.

Ordinarily the tie rods II function as tie rods only, being held in slightly spaced relation to the tread by the metal end support as indicated at 23, but when they are drawn into contact with the tread as above described and as clearly shown at 24, then they function also as supports for the central portions of the treads. This drawing up of the tie rods also serves to place them under still greater tensional strains, and the stiles and treads are drawn more closely t0- gether and the whole bound the more securely into one rigid structure.

It will be noted that while the reinforcing bars are drawn into intimate contact with the rear edges of the treads by rods I4 they are secured to the treads by nails as 25, and that the heads of the nails are covered by the washers. By means of this construction the nails are held securely in plac-e and the said reinforcing bar-s are so tied in with the ladder structure that they cannot be kicked loose by a user of the ladder.

While I have shown and described the rod I4 as having a bend therein at I8, it is obvious that a straight bar may be used if there is no tie rod as Il present.

It is to be understood, of course, that while I have herein shown and described but one specic embodiment of the invention, changes in form, construction, and method of assembly and operation may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a ladder structure including stiles, steps disposed between the stiles,

supporting means inserted between the stiles and ends of each step, and a tie rod inserted between the stiles and passing below each step, of a reinforcing bar disposed to engage the rear edges of successive steps, and a rod engaging the front edge of each step and passing downwardly and rearwardly therefrom and under the said tie rod, thence upwardly and rearwardly through the reinforcing bar, and fastening means on the rear end of said rod.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the second mentioned rod has a hook formation engaging the front edge of the step.

3. The structure set forth in claim l wherein the second mentioned rod has a straight section passing do-wnwardly and rearwardly from the front edge of the step and under the tie rod and turning upwardly at a point rearwardly of the said tie rod.

4. The combination with a ladder structure including stiles, steps disposed between the stiles, supporting means disposed between the stiles and ends of the steps, and reinforcing bars disposed longitudinally of the ladder and nailed to the rear edges of successive steps, of a member formed to engage the front edge of each step and passing rearwardly of the step and through the adjacent reinforcing bar, and fastening means for the member disposed to cover the nails in the reinforcing bar.

5. The combination 4with a ladder structure including stiles, steps disposed between the Stiles, and supporting means inserted between the stiles and ends of the steps, of a reinforcing bar disposed to engage the rear edges of successive steps, and a rod engaging the front edge of each step and passing downwardly and rearwardly under the step and through the reinforcing bar, and fastening means on the rear end of said rod.

` CHARLAN E. SANDERS. 

